Mine door



LSHQZUS W. C. CANTERBURY MINE DOOR Filed Jan. l2 i 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 30, 1924.

Sept. 30 1924.

W. C. CANTERBURY MINE Doon .n k n 4.

Patented Sept. 30, 1924.

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MINE DOOR.

Application led January 12, 1924. Serial No. 685,865.

To all 'whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WALTER C. CANTER- isURY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beckley, inthe county of Raleigh and State of l/Vest Virginia, have invented anew and useful Mine Doo-r, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to doors such as used in mines for normally closing passages or corridors, thereby to facilitate ventilation. It has reference mo-re `particularly to means for operating the door by the movementof a car toward the gate from either direction.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a door operating mechanism utilizing an operating rail of novel construction adapted to be depressed by the weight of a car approaching the door, the rail being so shaped as to be held by the wheels of the car in proper relation to the adjacent rail of the track.

Another object is to provide a structure of this character utilizing a single spring whereby all portions of the mechanism, including the door or doors, are held yieldingly in normal positions.

A further object is to provide operating mechanism which permits the yuse of doors extending straight across the track, there being novel connections between the doors and the operating mechanism whereby the doors can be moved automatically through ninety degrees or more when opened.

Another object is to provide a door operating mechanism especially useful in narrow or restricted passages, the said mechanism being extended between the doors and the sides of the frame in which they are mounted so as not to necessitate lateral excavations to accommodate the mechanism.

A` still further object is `to provide a mechanism of this character utilizing shock absorbing means for preventing abrupt application of power to the doors tending to injure the doors or the mechanism.

A further object is to provide a door operating mechanism which is simple7 durable and compact, will operate eciently under all conditions, and permits the use of doors of light construction.

With the foregoing and other objects in view. which will appear as` the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings:

1 Figure 1 is a plan view o-f the door operating mechanism, the gates and their supporting frame being shown in horizontal section.

i Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2, Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3, Fig. l.

Fig. 4C is a detail view of one of the cushioning connections.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through a portion of one of the-doors and showing its connection with the operating mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a. longitudinal section through the joint of one of the operating rails.

j Fig.- 7 is a side elevation of the lower end of one of the operating rails.

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the lower end of one of the operating rails, the bearing therefor and the track rail being shown in section. v

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, R designates the track rails eX- tending over the sill l of a door frame, the sideposts or jambs 2 supporting the top rail or head 3 and being loca-ted late-rally beyond t-he sides of the track. Doors 4f and 5 are mounted to swing within the frame. about pivot-al connections 6 engaging the sill 1 and the head 3, these doors being preferably spaced inwardly from the j ambs 2 so yas to accommodate portions of the operating mechanism. The doors and their frame` are preferably extended straight across the track, said doors, when closed, being disposed in lapped relation, as shown in Fig. l.

Extending transversely under the rails R at desired distances apart are angle bars 'i' to each of which are connected spaced brackets 8 extending laterally from the bars and supporting a shaft 9 that extends under one of the rails and laterally beyond the rail includes an angle rail 11 having an upstanding longitudinal flange 12 lying close to the inner side of the rail R. To this angle rail 11 is secured a channeled rail 13 the iiaiiges of which are extended downwardly, thev rails 11 and 13 being fastened together i by rivets or any other suitable way.

Theoperating rail 10 is formed preferably of two sections, a short section 14 and a long section 15. The short section has one end tapered as shown at 16 and extending between the rails R of the track. Fitted in the channeled portions 13 of section 14 close to the tapered end is a block 17 the lower end of which is rounded as shown by dotted lines at 18 in Fig. 7. This rounded end bears within a recess 19 formed in a bearing 1nember 20. This member has a plate 21 extending laterally therefrom under the rail R and the rail and plate are held assembled securely in any manner desired. It will'be apparent that the connection described a1- .llows the rail section 14 to swing relative to the plate 21 and for the purpose of adjusting the operating rail 10 so that it will be'supported close to the inner side of the head of rail R, there is provided an adjusting screw 22 in the end wall of recess 19. This screw bears against block 17, asshown in Fig. 8 and by means thereof said block' and the operating rail can be minutely adjusted as will be apparent.

Secured in the channeled portions of the meeting ends of sections 14 and 15 are downwardly extending brackets 23 pivotally connected by links 24 or in any other suitable maniier. Thus there is provided a movable connection between the two Sections of the operating rail.

Extending from one of the shafts 9 is a crank arm 25 connected by a link 26 to one of the brackets 23. Each of the other shafts 9 is also provided with a crank arm 27 conneet-ed by a link 28 to a bracket 29 secured in the channeled portion of the rail section 15. These crank arms 27 and 25 are located beneath vthe rail section 15. Y

lilxtending upwardly from the shaft 9 nearest the door frame is an elongated lever 30. Shorter levers 31 are extended upwardly from the other shafts 9. Links 32 are pivotally connected to the upper end of the lever 31 on the intermediate shaft 9 and these links are connected by an adjustable'rod 33 to lever 30. Another adjustable rod 34 connects said links to a cross head 35 slidably mounted within a yoke 36 that is pivotally connected to that lever 31 nearest the rail section 14. A spring 37 is arranged within the yoke and upon rod 34, this spring bear- -ing at one end against the cross `head 35 and at its other end against the intermediate portion cf the yoke. Thus a cushion is provided for absorbing shocks resulting from yoke 41 pivotally connected to lever 30. A

spring 42 is Varranged on the rod and within the yoke and acts as a cushioning means, the construction and operation being the same as has already been described with y reference to Fig. 4. Yoke 41 can be connected adjustably to lever 30 by placing its pivot pin 43 in any one of a longitudinal series of apertures 44 formed in the lever.

As heretofore pointed `out there is pro vided at both sides of the doors the vsame arrangement of shafts 9, etc., as has already been described. One of theshafts corresponding to a shaft 9 and located at the opposite side of the doors have been disclosed at 45. This shaft is extended under an operating rail 46 similar to the rail 10 but located" back of thedoo-r 5 instead of the door 4; Shaft 45 has a lever 47 "correspond ing with levers 25 and 27 and connected to the rail 46. It also has an upstanding lever 48 to which is pivotally connected a yoke 49. Thisyoke is slidablyl engaged by a cross head 50 'connected by a rod 51 to an arcuatearm 52 secured to the door 5. This arm is attached to the door at its pivoted side and is extended laterally therefrom away from lever 48. A spring 53 is mounted inthe yoke 49 and a cushioning structure is thus provided corresponding with that' disclosed in Fig. 4.

A shaft-54 is alined with and coupled to shafty 45 and journaled in suitable supporting means such as shown at 55. This shaft has an elongated lever 56 extended upwardly therefrom and a coiled spring 57 connects .the upper ends' of the levers 30 and `56 and acts to draw them toward each other. An intermediate lever 58 is fulcruined on the janib 2 adjacent levers 30 and 56 and the upper armof this lever is connected by a rod 59 to lever 56 while the lower arm of the lever 58 is connected by a rod 60 to lever 30.

As spring 57 constantly pulls upon the two levers 30 and 56 it willbe obvious that it acts to hold all of the crank arms 25, 27 and 47 yieldingly elevatedwith the operating rails 10 supported as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Likewise the doors 4 and 5 are normally pressed-together as shown in Fig. l sol asto close the door'opening. `When a car traveling along the` trackapproaches the door the wheels atone side thereof will ride on the inclined end section 14 of the operating rail and force it downwardly. Thus arm will rotate its shaft 9 and motion will be transmitted through the levers 31 and rods 3-1 and 33 to the other shafts 9 and to lever 30. The instant these rail sections are depressed, lever will pull through rod 39 upon arm 38 and swing door 4 backwardly and laterally from the approaching car. At the same time motion is transmitted through rod 60, lever 58 and rod 59 to lever 56 and results in the transmission otl motion through lever 48 and rod 51 to the arm 52 of door 5. Thus this door will be opened as shown by broken lines in Fig. 1. The car is therefore `free to pass through the door opening and before its weight is removed from the depressed rail 10 at one side of the door opening the wheels at the other side of the car will pass onto the other rail 1() at the other f side of the door opening and which has already been depressed or pulled downwardly by the actuation of shafts 54 and 45. Consequently the doors will remain open until the car has passed ott otl the second rail 46 whereupon the spring 57, which had been placed under increased tension by the movement of levers 30 and 56 away from each other, will return all of the parts to their :initial or normal positions.

lt will be apparent that the cushioning means described will absorb all shocks resulting from the sudden application of power by Jthe depression of a rail. Thus injury to the mechanism is not so likely to occur as would be the case should there be no'shock absorbing means. Furthermore by providing the particular connections between the operating mechanism and the doors, it becomes possible to make the doors of very light construction because no power is transmitted through them as in many forms of mine doors heretotore devised. As the mechanism can move the doors through ninety degrees or more, said doors can be erected straight across the track. Furthermore the operating mechanism can be extended between the doors and the jambs, thus obviating the necessity of excavating laterally to receive the mechanism. It will be apparent that the spaces lett between the doors and the j ambs can be closed in any suitable manner as by means of iabric flaps not shown.

By providing the operating rail with an upstanding flange supported close to the inner side of the track rail the flange F of a car wheel W resting on the track rail will lap the flange as shown in Fig. 8 and thus prevent the operating rail from shifting laterally away from the track rail during the actuation of the mechanism.

What is claimed is 1. Apparatus ot the class described including a door -trame, oppositely swinging doors mounted therein, a track extending through the trame, upstanding levers on opposite sides ot the frame, a depressible operating rail close to one of the rails of the track, cushioning means for transmitting motion from said operating rail to one of the upstanding levers, cushioning means for transmitting motion from the other upstanding lever to one of the doors, means for transmitting motion to the other door from the lirst named upstanding lever, and a single spring connecting the upstanding levers for holding the doors normally closed and for maintaining the operating rail in raised position.

2. Apparatus of the class described including a door frame, oppositely swinging doors therein normally lapped, a track extending through the door frame, voperating rails supported adjacent the respective rails of the track and at opposite sides respectively of the door frame, an operative connection between each rail and one of the doors, upstanding levers at opposite sides of the frame coupled to the operating connections ot the respective doors, means operated by the movement of either upstanding lever in one direction for moving the other upstanding lever in the opposite direction, and a spring connecting the upstanding levers for yieldingly holding the doors in closed positions and yieldingly supporting the operating rails.

3. Apparatus rot the class described including a door trame, a door mounted to swing therein, a sectional angle rail having upstanding flanges supported close to one of the rails of a track, a movable connection between the sections ot the angle rail, yielding means for holding the angle rail elevated and the door closed, means :t'or transmitting motion from the angle rail to the door to open the door, and means for adjusting the angle rail laterally relative to the track rail.

1l. Apparatus oit the class described including a door frame, a door mounted to swing therein, a track extending through the iframe, a depressible operating rail adjacent one of the rails of the track, said operating rail having an upstanding flange, and means for adjusting the operating rail toward the track rail to position the upstanding flange to project between the track rail and the flange oic a car wheel supported by said rail.

5. Apparatus of the class described including a door trame, oppositely movable doors hung therein, a track extending through the trame, a depressible operating rail, upstanding levers at opposite sides of the trame, means for transmitting motion thereto from the operating rail, said levers 4 1,510,2osa

tively, connections between the levers and as Iny own, I have hereto affixed my signathe hinge sides of the respective doors, and ture in the presence of tWo Witnesses.v

zt single spring connection between the levers v WALTER C. CANTERBURY. 5,101 holding the doors normally closed to- Witnesses: l gether and the operating rail yieldingly sup- I. E. SIMPSON,

ported. HERBERT D. LAWSON.

being movable n opposite directions respeo- In testimony that I claim the foregoing 

